 "This handout photo released by the Hong Kong Police Force on December 1, 2025 shows the aftermath of a fire inside an apartment block at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Hong Kong's Tai Po district. (AFP/Hong Kong Police Force)")
Smoke-scarred walls, piles of ash and charred debris now fill what were once homes at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, a grim aftermath of a fire that has so far claimed 146 lives.
Images released by police show rescue workers from the Disaster Victim Identification Unit (DVIU) sifting through the wreckage: one wearing a protective mask and helmet, moving debris with a shovel; another showing the blackened plaster peeling away from walls in a flat. Among the ruins lie small, haunting details like a single red slipper, a silent reminder of the resident who once lived here.
According to investigators, the fire began on Wednesday afternoon, apparently from a lower-floor scaffold or netting as renovation work was underway in the housing complex. From there, it escalated, engulfing seven of the eight high-rise towers at Wang Fuk Court.
What compounded the disaster were the construction materials and ongoing renovation work. Many of the towers had bamboo scaffolding wrapped in protective mesh and plastic sheeting. These elements appeared to have helped fuel the flames. Once the fire caught, it spread quickly, turning the tightly packed residential complex into a death trap.
Search, rescue, and mourning
Authorities say they are conducting an exhaustive search inside flats, hallways, stairwells and rooftops. Yet the scale of destruction makes identification and recovery slow and difficult. As of the latest update, 146 bodies have been recovered; many remain unaccounted for, and dozens of are missing.
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View AllIn response, grief-stricken residents and mourners have gathered outside the damaged towers, laying flowers and leaving handwritten messages for the victims. Some signs bear the words “Never Forget, Never Forgive.”
Safety under scrutiny
The fire has triggered tough questions about safety standards at renovation sites. Many point to the bamboo scaffolding and protective netting—traditional methods long used in Hong Kong—as having contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze.
An inter-departmental task force has been established to probe the cause of the fire and whether renovation practices and materials met safety regulations. Initial reports also suggest that fire-alarm failures and possibly hazardous construction materials—such as foam-filled window panels—may have exacerbated the disaster.